Member Review

An Epic of Ambition and Identity

Deepa Anappara’s second novel, “The Last of Earth,” masterfully navigates the treacherous territory of 19th-century Tibet, using its stunning, formidable landscape to stage a piercing critique of colonial ambition and the very act of map-making. This historical fiction interweaves the perilous journeys of two separate groups to explore significant themes of colonialism, ambition, and identity.

The story is set in 1869, a time when the British Empire, intent on exploring and charting the region, was forced to employ Indian men as surveyor-spies—known as "Pundits"—to cross the border.

The first main protagonist is Balram, an Indian schoolteacher and surveyor-spy. He is reluctantly guiding an unnamed English Captain, clumsily disguised as a monk, whose sole ambition is to gain notoriety by personally mapping the sacred Tsangpo river. However, Balram has a private, more urgent mission: to locate his close friend and fellow surveyor, Gyan, who has vanished and is rumored to be imprisoned in Tibet.

Katherine, the second protagonist, is a mixed-race Englishwoman fueled by ambition and a desire to make her mark. Having been rejected for membership by the all-male Royal Geographical Society in London, she is determined to be the first European woman to reach Lhasa and behold the Potala Palace. She is traveling on a solo mission, guided by Mani.

As the two expeditions brave the treacherous journey, encountering storms, snow leopards, and hostile soldiers, their paths inevitably cross. often with the enigmatic figure known as Chetak, the "Robin Hood of Terai," acting as a bridge between them.

"Last of Earth" offers a critique of British colonial arrogance, encapsulated in the belief that "It’s in the nature of white men to believe they own the world." The book explores themes of colonial exploration and the Great Game, specifically focusing on the Great Trigonometrical Survey and emphasizing the unacknowledged sacrifices made by native Indian surveyors during this endeavor.

The central characters, Balram and Katherine, are portrayed as deeply flawed individuals driven by profound personal sorrow: Balram by the disappearance of Gyan, and Katherine by the grief over her sister Ethel. Katherine’s mixed Indian-English heritage is crucial to her struggle for a cohesive identity and to feel "made whole.”

A key philosophical theme explores the essential conflict between humanity's efforts to categorize and command the world through map-making and the Earth's continuously evolving, "living reality." This is captured by Balram's observation that a map is nothing more than a static "blue spiral" on paper, yet the river it depicts is a "living thing, a creature capable of renewal."

Deepa Anappara masterfully transports the reader to Tibet, immersing us completely in this utterly unique, even alien, landscape. The journey itself is enjoyable, and the character-driven plot is engaging, though it unfolds slowly at times, making the pacing deliberate. Ultimately, “The Last of Earth” is a deeply researched, stunningly written epic that challenges the heroic myths of the Great Game. This book is best recommended for patient readers who are willing to temper their adventure with a deliberate pace.

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for providing an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. #TheLastOfEarth #NetGalley